This invention relates to a police baton, and more particularly a police baton having a crosshandle as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,132,409 and Des. 230,150.
As noted in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,409, a baton or nightstick with a crosshandle is believed to have been first used by police officers on Okinawa Island, and one style of this type of baton is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. Des. 230,150 which uses a rigid crosshandle.
One use of the crosshandle is for swinging the baton proper in a generally horizontal plane, once the grip on the crosshandle is loosened sufficiently to permit the crosshandle to pivot in the hand while the baton sweeps across at a greater velocity than is possible with a firm grip. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,409 discloses a crosshandle intended for use in this sweeping way. To facilitate this sweeping action, a sleeve is provided on a shank over that half of the crosshandle nearest the baton proper. By loosening the grip on the outer half of the crosshandle, while maintaining a firms grip on the inner half between the thumb and index finger, the baton will pivot freely in the rotatable sleeve without any risk of the crosshandle working up out of the hand.
Another possible use of a baton with a crosshandle is as a hook to reach out and engage a limb of a person being brought under control while resisting arrest, much as one might use a cane, However, the crosshandle of a baton is straight and perpendicular to the barton proper. As a consequence, the force which a limb thus being engaged exerts on the baton is such as to cause the hand holding the baton to be twisted, allowing the baton to move away from the limb being engaged. In that manner, the person being brought under control may easily disengage his limb from the crosshandle.